LIGHT-YEARS AWAY (Data x Reader) // Star Trek

Chapter Four

Your quarters were outstandingly more spacious compared to your room back in time, so much that your jaw hung open for a second as you glanced around looking wide-eyed. "Surely, this has to be the Captain's quarters..." You said to yourself as you stepped further in. 

"I assure you that this is yours. The captain's quarters are on the deck above." 

"Oh..." You said not sure how to really respond to that information. 

This room was certainly nicer, but it felt a little weird. No trinkets or belongings were there, not even another change of clothing. It was like staying in a hotel room. 

"Are you not satisfied?" Data asked as he noticed your sad eyes.

"No! No! I am! It's just...new." You said as you went and sat on a little bench by a window. 

"Ah. In time you will learn to adjust to your new surroundings, that is what Geordi told me today. Everyone is new on this ship and not yet situated." Data said as he took a seat across from you.

"Everyone is new?" You asked, "What do you mean?" 

"This is the first week the Enterprise has been under command of Captain Picard, before then, everyone was a stranger."

"How odd...It certainly is weird I popped forward to this specific time and place." You said scratching your head.

"Yes. Either it was a random chance that you are here, and would have been just as 'odd' and random wherever you went. Or-"

You cut him off, "Or there is a reason I'm supposed to be here, right now..."

"Yes. That is correct." Data said. 

"I guess we'll probably find out in time." You sighed.

"You appear to be sad. I have found jokes have an uplifting effect on humans, would you like to hear one?" Data asked.

The randomness of Data already made you smile, "Yes, I would love to hear one." 

"Why do birds fly over the sea?" Data asked.

"I'm not sure, tell me." You said fearful of where this was going. 

"Because, if they flew over the bay, they would be called bagels." 

You and Data just awkwardly stared at each other, neither smiling nor laughing for a solid four seconds.

"Birds flying over the sea...would be called bagels?" You repeated out loud, trying to find what the point of the joke could possibly be. The pure randomness of the bad joke was the only thing you could find remotely funny.

"Was this not amusing?" Data asked curiously. 

You reached out and put your hand on Data's as you looked serious. "Data, I really appreciate you trying...but that...that was the worst joke I have ever heard." You burst out laughing as you rolled back in your seat. 

Data tilted his head, "But if it was not funny, then why do you laugh?"

"I laugh at the pure randomness of it. It was so unfunny that, it is funny." 

"I do not understand." Data said obviously confused. 

"Oh Data, no need to. It worked, I already feel better. Thank you." You said wiping the tears from your eyes.

"I am glad I was of service to you. If only I was capable of understanding humor better, then maybe I could be of better service." 

"Okay, if I am going to teach you, and you I. We may as well start now." You hummed, doing your best to think of how to explain humor in a way he could understand. "There are a lot of types of humor, and it is best to know your audience before you tell certain jokes. Like not all jokes may be suitable for little kids, say if the joke has a bad word or involves something of a sexual manner. A lot of jokes lead up to a play on words or an unexpected twist. Some jokes are innuendos jus-"